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Added 9 October 2026

modulation

/ˌmɒdjʊˈleɪʃn̩/ noun

In Latin: modulātiō Wiktionary

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about modulation at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

A musical passage moving from one key to another.
(electronics) the transmission of a signal by using it to vary a carrier wave; changing the carrier's amplitude or frequency or phase.
Rise and fall of the voice pitch.

Origin

From Late Middle English modulacion, modulacioun (“act of making music or singing; harmony; melody, song”), from Middle French modulation (modern French modulation), and directly from its etymon Latin modulātiō (“regular or rhythmical measure, modulation; inflection of tone; (architecture) calculation of measurements from a standard unit; (Late Latin) act of making music or singing; melody, song”), from modulātus (“modulated”) + -iō (suffix forming abstract nouns from verbs).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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